I was listening to a news program on MPR radio when a report came on about prisoners who have the AIDS virus…
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Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you,
and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Matthew 5:11 No matter what I have to go through and no matter what I must face from day to day… I got a sick feeling in my gut as soon as I had heard the news report that four U.S. Forest Service firefighters were killed while trying to put out a large wildfire in Washington State...
This evening, I just finished a letter to a dear friend in Washington State, Kathie Fitzpatrick. Within the past year she's had to face many fiery trials including the loss of her beloved eighteen-year-old daughter, Karen.
Karen Lee was a member of the U.S. Forest Service. She died while fighting a wildfire in the Chewuch River canyon about 30 miles north of the little town of Winthrop. This tragedy occurred on July 10, 2001, in what has been historically called the "Thirty-mile Fire." In her recent letter, Kathie shared with me about a new wave of struggles she's now going through. So after a period of prayer, the Lord directed me to 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. This is a familiar passage of Scripture that encourages Christians who are undergoing difficulties. I told Kathie in my letter that I felt God was getting ready to use her in a special way. I said that the pains and hurts she's been having are perfecting her for a deeper, greater, and even a more tender ministry. I also told Kathie that God was going to make her into a "walking Kleenex tissue." Hurting people are going to be crying on her shoulders. I said that she was going to touch them with Jesus' love in ways that other Christians who haven't gone through as much will never be able to do. Kathie is now a full-fledged “wounded healer.” D.B. On April 20, 1999, twelve students and a teacher died during a shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado...
Today, I feel especially urged to encourage my fellow Christians to get closer to the Lord than ever before…
"…for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended."
Isaiah 60:20b 1975-77 was a time of satanic torment for me… |
AuthorDavid Berkowitz |